Breakfast Cookies - Gluten and Dairy Free

Really the only kind of cold cereal we buy regularly is plain Cheerios and Corn or Rice Chex.  We get the sugary kinds of those for special occasions. 

So basically . . . making breakfast every day is essentially a full time job.  I'm constantly looking for variations, something to make it interesting or different.  

These breakfast cookies make almost everyone happy . . . everyone except my poor boy that's allergic to oats and peanuts.  On these days I have to make two breakfasts, so that he can have something else to eat.  But sometimes I have to hit the majority of people and do my best. 

So  . . . if you can have oats and some kind of nut butter . . . quick, whip these up! Give yourself a break from your normal cereal!   

 Breakfast Cookies - Gluten and Dairy Free 

2 cups of GF oats 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon 

1 cup of peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter) 

1/4 c. honey 

1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce 

1 ripe banana, mashed 

1/2 c. raisins 

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix with mixer.  Spoon out large balls on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake at 325* for 16-18 mins.  

YUM!  

Purple Steel Cut Oats - Gluten and Dairy Free

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

I never knew how difficult it is to make purple food look good in a picture!  

So, take my word for it, this is super yummy and better than it looks!  What kid is not excited to eat purple oatmeal? 

Purple Steel Cut Oats - Gluten and Dairy Free

1 1/2 c. steel cut oats 

6 c. water or milk of choice (canned coconut milk makes it nice and creamy)

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 

2 c. blueberries (frozen or fresh are fine) 

1/2 tsp. of salt 

Add all ingredients to crockpot and stir.  Cook on low for 5 hours then keep warm till morning. (Or cook for 7-8 on low, it will just be a little less chewy, but still good.) 

Serve with milk of choice and a scoop of brown sugar, if desired.  Yum! 

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

This recipe will always remind me of my dear 8 year old son.  Last summer when it was his turn to help make breakfast, he wanted to make this.  We made it and immediately fell in love.  

Unlike my other baked oatmeals, this recipe is more custard like.  This is why I love it.  It is so delicious.  Give it a try.  You wont regret it. 

Plus - it fulfills one of my main goals in life:  Feed my children veggies for breakfast!  

Bwahahahaha! 

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats 

2 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 1/4 tsp. baking powder 

1/4 heaping tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. ginger 

3 c. packed shredded carrots 

4 c. milk of choice ( I use one can of full fat coconut milk and the rest rice or coconut from a carton.) 

1/2 c. maple syrup 

3 tsp. vanilla 

1/4 c. raisins 

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Pour into a 9 X 13 pan.  Cook at 375* for 40 mins.  

Serve with milk or if you're feeling especially decadent - some coconut cream! 

Yum yum. 

PS: For extra ease in the morning you can mix this up the night before and just let it cook while everyone is getting ready in the morning.  I love easy mornings.  Easy mornings and veggies for breakfast . . . my life goals. Ha. 

Basic Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

Is it just me, or is it supremely hard to do anything other than the kids during summer time?  Six kids, home all day, just me and the kids means I have little time for anything else.  

Alas, here is a simple, basic recipe that you probably already know how to make! 

Basic Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

Use 1/2 c. of oats (gluten free if needed) and 1 c. of water per person 

Dash of salt (don't forget!)

Bring water and salt to a boil.  Add oats and turn heat down to low, simmering until oats are done and water is gone. 

Serve with your choice of dairy free milk, fruit, and brown sugar. 

Delicious! 

Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

 A quick and easy, grab and go breakfast for busy mornings! 

Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

6 cups of old fashioned oats

1/2 c. molasses 

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. ginger

2 heaping tsp. cinnamon 

1/2 tsp. cloves 

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

4 tsp. baking powder 

2 tsp. salt

2 c. water 

2 eggs 

1 c. applesauce 

1 tsp. vanilla 

Add all ingredients to a 9 x 13 dish and stir till well combined.  Cook at 350* for 35 - 40 mins, until set.  

*You can mix this all up the night before then just pop in oven in the morning. So easy and convienient. 

Serve "cakey" like above, or "milky" like below.  Or be like my piggy hungry kids and have one of each!  

 Enjoy! 

Crockpot Secret Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats - Gluten and Dairy Free

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

Pumpkin combined with steel cut oats? 

Can't. Get. Better.

(Since my son was diagnosed as anaphylactic to pumpkin we now use "secret pumpkin".)

Crockpot Secret Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats - Gluten and Dairy Free 

2 c. steel cut oats

4  c. water

1 c. canned, full fat coconut milk

2 cups of sweet potato puree (or 1 can of pumpkin -15 oz. - if tolerated) 

1/4 c. pure maple syrup 

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg 

1 Tbsp. vanilla 

1/2 tsp. salt 

Add all ingredients to crockpot and stir.  Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with your choice of milk and a small scoop of brown sugar, if desired. 

Yum! 

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

I make baked oatmeal quite often.  It's pretty much the perfect breakfast. 

So simple, so easy, so healthy, so yummy! 

This is just one of many, many flavors to come. 

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free 

6 c. oats 

1/2  c. unsweetened applesauce 

3-4 overripe bananas, mashed 

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 c. brown sugar

2 c. water 

1 tsp. vanilla 

2 eggs 

cinnamon and sugar for topping 

hemp hearts (for a nutty flavor, optional) 

Put all ingredients in a 9 x 13 pan and mix until well combined.  Top with cinnamon and sugar and hemp hearts, if desired. Bake at 350* for 35-40 mins. 

Enjoy cut like a piece of cake, or in a bowl with milk.

Berry Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

Baked Oatmeal is pretty much my favorite.  

It super simple.  It's super healthy.  You can make it the night before.  It makes great leftovers. Everyone loves it. It feels like a dessert for breakfast.  

You just really can't go wrong. Berry Baked Oatmeal is one of our favorites.  

Berry Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

**You can make this even easier by assembling it the night before. Then just pop it in the oven in the morning.**

 6 c. oats 

1 c. applesauce 

1/3  c. brown sugar

2 eggs (or another 1/2 c. applesauce) 

2 1/4 c. milk of choice (or water) (I use half canned coconut milk to make it extra yummy)

4 tsp. baking powder 

1 tsp. salt 

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon 

2 tsp.  vanilla 

2 c. frozen (or fresh) mixed berries 

Cinnamon and sugar for the top 

Combine all ingredients directly in a 9 x 13 pan. Stir until well combined.  Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the top. Bake at 350* for 40 mins, until set. 

We eat it two ways: 

1)  Cakey - sliced on a plate, like a piece of cake

2) Milkey - in a bowl chopped up with milk 

Enjoy! 

Peaches and Cream Crockpot Steel Cut Oatmeal - Gluten Free Dairy Free

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

When I know the next morning is going to be rushed, busy, and early I love to put breakfast in the crockpot the night before.  There's nothing better than having a warm, home cooked breakfast ready to go for you first thing in the morning. 

This recipe can be thrown together in just minutes before you head to bed. It is a favorite in this house! 

Peaches and Cream Crockpot Steel Cut Oatmeal - Gluten Free Dairy Free 

1 1/2 c. steel cut oats 

6 c. water

1 can (15 oz) peaches, drained 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

1/2 tsp. salt 

After draining peaches, stick knife in can and chop the peaches up. Add all ingredients to crockpot and stir. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Serve with brown sugar (if desired) and milk of choice. 

Gluten Free Dairy Free Secret Pumpkin Waffles

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

Do you love pumpkin, like me and pretty much everyone else in the world?

I am a huge fan. Pumpkin everything! Yum. 

Thus we must have some pumpkin waffles, right?
(Since my son was diagnosed as anaphylactic to pumpkin, we now use "secret" pumpkin.) 

Gluten Free Dairy Free "Pumpkin" Waffles 

3 cups milk of choice (I use coconut milk)

3 cups Old Fashioned, or rolled, oats

1 cup of sweet potato puree (or pumpkin, if tolerated) 

4 Tbsp. light (in taste, not calories or fat) olive oil 

2 eggs 

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla 

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until very smooth. Batter will be thin, but as it sits for a few minutes, it will thicken up. Cook in hot, well greased, waffle iron. (I use coconut oil to grease the waffle iron.  It works fantastic and is also a stable fat when exposed to heat. Reapply oil after every couple of waffles.)

*This is the same recipe as my waffle recipe, just pumpkin version. 

Gluten Free Dairy Free Waffles

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

Waffles.  Delicious, no? 

But I can never make them fast enough. I barely get one cooked, and the pigs children oink it up eat it before the next one is even done. 

Whatchagonnado? 

(Buy 3 more waffle irons, that's what. At least that is what I dream about.) 

Gluten Free Dairy Free Waffles 

3 cups milk of choice (I use coconut milk)

3 cups Old Fashioned, or rolled, oats

4 Tbsp. light (in taste, not calories or fat) olive oil 

2 eggs 

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla 

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until very smooth. Batter will be thin, but as it sits for a few minutes, it will thicken up. Cook in hot, well greased, waffle iron. (I use coconut oil to grease the waffle iron.  It works fantastic and is also a stable fat when exposed to heat. Reapply oil after every couple of waffles.)

*I make two batches of this for my crew.  It gives everyone plenty to eat, with some wonderful leftovers. My gluten and yeast free boys love to make sandwiches with the leftovers. 

Gluten Free Dairy Free Nut Free Granola

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

Do you like granola? 

Granola seems to be one of those things that people either love or hate. 

But listen, guys. This is not your store bought, dry, icky, boxed granola. 

This is yummy. It's basically like eating delicious oatmeal cookies for breakfast. 

That doesn't sound bad, right? Right. 

Gluten Free Dairy Free Granola

2 c. of coconut oil (you can use less, it will make the granola a little drier, depending on how much you use) 

1 1/2 c. honey 

10 c. of oats (I use old fashioned, or rolled, oats)

4 c. of oat flour (oats ground to flour in your blender)

2 tsp. cinnamon 

Your choice of add-ins. We use: 

raisins or craisins

chia seeds
unsweetened coconut flakes

hemp hearts*

(Before allergies we would always add almonds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds. Try those, if tolerated.) 

Preheat oven to 300*.  Heat oil and honey on stove until very hot, but do not boil. 

In a large bowl, mix the oats, oat flour, cinnamon, and any add-ins.  Pour hot oil and honey over flour/oat mixture and stir until well combined. 

Pour granola mixture into two 9 x 13 pans, and cook for 15-18 mins.  Allow to cool.  Serve with milk of your choice, or on top of (allergy safe) yogurt, with fruit, or even by itself! 

When completely cooled I store it in two gallon ziplock bags, in my pantry. I try to be careful to preserve the clumps when transferring it, since they are super yummy! 

*One more thing:  I remember some time ago, having a discussion with my sister about hemp hearts. We were discussing all the weird people that ate them and aren't they basically just drugs, anyway!?!?  ha ha ha 

Before long my boys were diagnosed with being allergic to all tree nuts and peanuts.  It was then I discovered that hemp hearts are not a drug (ha) and that they are quite nutritious and also a good nut substitute, as they tend to have a slightly nutty flavor.  I guess the moral is . . . never say never!

Green Pancakes- Gluten Free Dairy Free

One of my main goals in life is to give my children veggies for breakfast. 

Lucky kids, right?!

I don't try to hide the veggies or trick them into eating them.  We unabashedly proclaim our love for veggies and have discussions regularly about how veggies make you strong, healthy and smart and sugar makes you sick, weak, and wimpy. 

They LOVE these green pancakes!  

This day I made a simply plum syrup by cooking up whole plums (skin on) and mixing it with a teeny bit of syrup. Yum! 

Green Pancakes

1 1/2 c. of quinoa flakes or buckwheat cereal or groats (use oats if you can tolerate them. We can not.)

9 eggs 

3 heaping cups of spinach leaves

3 ripe bananas 

3 tbsp. water

4-5 tbsp. chia seeds

1 tsp. cinnamon 

1 tsp. vanilla 

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Cook on greased griddle until browned and cooked through.  

*Like many flourless pancakes these do better if you keep the size of them smaller. 

Some times we want Monster Pancakes! 

Add blueberry's for an extra kick of nutrition and to make cool looking Monster Pancakes (purple and green): 

Secret Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

My mom made the best breakfasts growing up.  There wasn't much cold cereal around. Most days were homemade oatmeal, muffins, cream of wheat, pancakes, homemade granola. . . all the good stuff.  

Basically, my mom was the coolest. 

Pumpkins grown in my garden! But canned pumpkin in the recipe because . . . #aintnobodygottimeforthat  

Since my son was diagnosed as anaphylactic to pumpkin, we now use "secret pumpkin". 

Secret Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

6 cups old fashion oats 

 3/4 c. brown sugar (feel free to cut down if you want. I do often.)

 4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

4 tsp. vanilla

1/2 heaping cup of applesauce

2 cups of water

2 c. of sweet potato puree (or 1- 15 oz can of pumpkin, if tolerated) 

cinnamon and sugar (for sprinkling on top)

Just put all ingredients in a 9 x 13, and mix it well, straight in the pan. 

Sprinkle top with cinnamon and sugar. 

Bake at 350* for 40 minutes. 

Serve like cake, or in a bowl with milk.  I always ask my kids "Do you want it cakey or milky?" They choose. Everyone is happy.